The TikTok Effect: A Comparative Study of ShortForm Video Content on Youth Political Mobilization in Mature vs. Emerging Democracies

With the rise of short-form video platforms like TikTok, youth political engagement has undergone significant transformation across the world. While mature democracies such as the United States and Western European countries have experienced new patterns of political expression and mobilization through social media, emerging democracies like India are witnessing complex interactions between political communication, youth culture, and state regulation. This study investigates how TikTok—characterized by brief, algorithmically curated video content—affects youth political mobilization in both contexts. Drawing on a comparative framework, we examine the diverse roles played by short-form video content in shaping political awareness, participation, sentiment, and activism among young people in mature versus emerging democratic environments. We focus on India as a primary case study, analyzing how TikTok’s unique social dynamics have influenced political engagement and movement building among youth, considering demographic factors, platform governance, and sociopolitical realities.